Bausch Health Chairman and Chief Executive Officer Joseph C. Papa has issued the following statement on how the company can support the important movement in the very long march against racial injustice

June 12, 2020

I am devastated by the events of the past weeks. I, along with the Bausch Health leadership team, have been engaged in internal dialogue, failing to make sense of the death of George Floyd and discussing what we at Bausch Health can do to support what has become an important tipping point on injustice toward people of colour.

I believe we must look inward, within ourselves and within the walls of our own company, first. Valuing those with different backgrounds and continuously fostering a spirit of inclusiveness starts with each of us. As I reminded our colleagues last week, there is never a place for racism or discrimination in our company. We wholeheartedly support and value the diversity of every one of our employees around the world.

Following my letter, I received many personal responses from our employees, including some who shared personal stories of injustice they’ve experienced going about their daily lives simply due to their skin colour. My heart goes out to these individuals and the unfair struggles they have faced. I also received letters from many employees who extended their personal commitment and support to further embrace the benefits of diversity in our company and in their communities.

We have more to do at Bausch Health, and we are taking a close look to determine what concrete actions we need to take in our company. Our Diversity & Inclusion Council is developing additional training and resources to help all our employees become more aware of—and question—personal unconscious biases, and to teach us how to better become allies and advocates who work together to create a more open community within our company and in the world in which we work.

In the most immediate timeframe, we are going to continue advancing the conversation among our employees and devise additional ways we can meaningfully effect change both within and outside our company. Looking ahead, we are exploring additional ways to further support communities of colour, particularly initiatives related to our mission of improving people’s lives through better health care.

Ending injustice and discrimination against people of colour won’t happen overnight, but if we all begin by looking within ourselves, then we’ve made a meaningful start.

Best Regards,

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JOSEPH C. PAPA
Chairman and Chief Executive Officer
Bausch Health